IPTV Terminal Device Interfaces

Figure 7-1 identifies possible IPTV terminal device interfaces. These interfaces, physical or logical, may not all be present simultaneously and their existence depends on the configuration and the use of IPTV terminal device. The following sub-clauses provide descriptions of these interfaces.

7.2.2.1 BC-TD interface

This interface is between non-IPTV broadcasting network such as satellite, terrestrial and cable network and the IPTV terminal device. This interface facilitates transfer of content and related information by way of radio signals, such as QAM or OFDM.

7.2.2.2 NW-TD interface 7.2.2.2.1 NW-TD-1

NW-TD-1 represents a logical connection by which the IPTV terminal device connects to the IPTV Network via the RG using physical connection between the IPTV Network and the RG and the TD-HN connection. The IPTV Network should maintain two logical connections, one for IPTV and another for other services. At the end system side, the IPTV connection is maintained by IPTV terminal device, and the other connection is maintained by other device, such as RG itself.

In other configurations, the RG has only one connection to the IPTV Network, and the IPTV terminal device shares the connection with other HN devices. The connection between the IPTV Network and the RG is maintained by RG.

7.2.2.2.2 NW-TD-2

NW-TD-2 represents a direct physical connection between the IPTV Network and the IPTV terminal device.

This interface is between an IPTV terminal device or RG and the IPTV Network. The interface facilitates content and metadata transfer by multicast or unicast operation.

If a direct connection (NW-TD-2) between the IPTV Network and the IPTV terminal device is present, the IPTV terminal device is required to support at least one of the following:

 10/100BASE-TX (as defined in [IEEE 802.3])

 1000BASE-T (as defined in [IEEE 802.3])

 IEEE 802.16x (WiMAX, Mobile WiMAX, x: a and e) (as defined in [IEEE 802.16])

 IEEE802.11x (x: a, b, g and n) (as defined in [IEEE 802.11])

 3G Wireless Internet as defined by 3GPP and 3GPP2

If a direct connection (NW-TD-2) between the IPTV Network and the IPTV terminal device is not present, the RG is required to support at least one of the above-mentioned connection methods and the IPTV terminal device is required to be connected to the RG by the TD-HN interface.

7.2.2.3 TD-HN interface

The followings are the specification for TD-HN.

 An interface that provides a connection to the home network. TD-HN is used for the connection between the IPTV terminal device and other in-home devices such as video recorders.

 TD-HN is an optional interface if a direct connection (NW-TD-2) between the IPTV Network and the IPTV TD is present.

 An IPTV TD should be equipped with one of the interfaces listed below for TD-HN.

 Non-IP interface

 IP interface

 If a non-IP interface is used for TD-HN, the IPTV TD can optionally be equipped with one of the interfaces listed below:

 IEEE 1394 [IEEE 1394]

 USB

 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) [IEEE 802.15.1]

If an IP interface is used for TD-HN, the IPTV TD should be equipped with at least one of the interfaces listed below:

 10/100BASE-TX

 1000BASE-T

 IEEE802.11a/b/g/n

 MoCA (Multimedia Over Coaxial Alliance)

 HomePNA [ITU-T G.9951, G.9952, G.9953, G.9954]

 PLC (Power-line Communication)

Note: Any device that operates on the TD-PD or the TD-OD interface could instead operate on the TD-HN interface; however, even though the device may technically be a “Peripheral Device” or

“Output Device”, since it is not a dedicated paired device with the IPTV TD (it could operate with multiple IPTV TDs within the home network) it cannot be classified under the TD-PD or TD-OD interfaces.

7.2.2.4 TD-OD and TD-PD 7.2.2.4.1 Physical Interface

An IPTV TD is required to support at least one of the following:

 support of analogue video signal output interface:

 D connector as per [IEC 62360] or a combination of three RCA pins o For 1080p/1080i/720p/480p/480i component output

 RCA pins

o For NTSC/PAL/SECAM composite output (as defined in [ITU-R BT.1700])

 S or S2 Connector

o For NTSC/PAL/SECAM Y/C output

 support of digital video signal output interface:

o DVI (Digital Video Interface)

o HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)

 Support of analogue and digital audio signals:

o Analogue

o S/PDIF as per [IEC 60958]

o HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)

 USB

 [IEEE 1394]

 Bluetooth [IEEE 802.15.1]

 IR

If copy protection is required, the interface is required to be equipped with an appropriate copy guard management system and should, for example, support the following:

 All analogue outputs may be enabled or disabled based on service provider configuration.

 HDCP copy protection on the HDMI digital video output.

7.2.2.4.2 TD-PD Logical Interface

This interface is between a peripheral device and the IPTV terminal device. It allows transfer of information, such as Bluetooth protocol or those dealing with infrared to facilitate communication between the IPTV terminal device and, for example, a Bluetooth universal serial bus (USB) adaptor or mobile phone headset.

The devices operating on the TD-PD interface are connected either through a dedicated interface (e.g. USB) or through TD-HN interface.

7.2.2.4.3 TD-OD Logical Interface

This interface is between an Output Device (e.g. Display, Home Theatre System, External PVR, etc.) and IPTV terminal device and facilitates transfer of audio and video signals from IPTV terminal device to the Output Device.

7.2.2.5 TD-SM interface

TD-SM is the interface between the IPTV TD and an optional removable security function, such as an IC card. The followings are the specification for TD-SM interface.

If removable security is to be implemented, the IPTV TD is required to be equipped with at least one interface for TD-SM. The possible interfaces for TD-SM are included in Appendix II, the interfaces to support TD-SM are not limited to those described in Appendix II, but are meant as exemplary interfaces to be used by the IPTV TD for security-related issues.

The “IPTV Security Aspects” document [FG IPTV-DOC-0188] should be consulted for details relating to the security issues of the IPTV system.